New York-Pasadena

1. The Peninsula Spa

New York: Massages700 Fifth Ave., 212-903-3910
Regular price: $225 for 60 minutesInStyle deal: $180
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
During the Bamboo Harmonizer Massage, therapists gently flick bamboo sticks over sore bodies. Sound painful? “It was the most blissful thing I’ve ever experienced,” says our tester. The signature Espa TriSerum, infused with omega oils, “left my skin soft and supple.” She did have one complaint, however: “I almost fell asleep on the table— that’s how damn good it felt.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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2. The Red Door

New York: Facials200 Park Ave. S., 212-388-0222
Regular price: $160 for 75 minutesInStyle deal: $128
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Come into this multilevel spa for the Advanced Brightening Facial, which starts on a heated bed to loosen muscles while pros evaluate your complexion. “My aesthetician could tell I had combination skin and took time to extract the junk from my pores. She then massaged ceramide moisturizers from Elizabeth Arden into my cheeks and forehead,” says our tester. “The lights were soft for most of the time, so it was actually a truly relaxing experience.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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3. Nunzio Saviano Salon

New York: Cuts130 E. 65th St., 212-988-0880
Regular price: $250InStyle deal: $200
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Star stylist Nunzio Saviano has tended the tresses of Brooke Shields and Mira Sorvino. Now, at his namesake establishment, he carefully considers a client’s bone structure and facial features before making that first cut. Our tester was impressed that “the layers he created totally gave my cheekbones a more chiseled look.” The proof, however, after the fact. “A week later, my new lob was still a cinch to style!”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

4. Sweet Lily Natural Nail Spa

New York: Nails222 West Broadway, 212-925-5441
Regular price: $74 for 60-minute Orange Mint pedicureInStyle deal: $59.20
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The emphasis at this small urban oasis is on comfort and simplicity with no gels or acrylics to be found. The salon makes its own foot masks and exfoliants with seasonal ingredients, like the all-natural orange-and-sugar scrub that buffed away our tester’s roughness from sandal season. A minty lotion made her foot rub all the more invigorating, and a careful paint job left her toes in perfect peeptoe-ready form.Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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5. Ricardo Rojas Atelier

New York: Cuts60 E. 66th St., 212-721-5900
Regular price: $300InStyle deal: $240
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
It pays to be early to sip a Champagne cocktail overlooking Park Avenue while you wait for Ricardo Rojas. The stylist, who has worked on Salma Hayek and Kate Moss, blew our tester away. “I have long, naturally curly hair that falls down my back, and he was the first stylist I’ve met that didn’t want to chop it all off,” she says. After Rojas skimmed layers with scissors and added new, long ones, “my hair looked full and had way more dimension.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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6. Rheanne White Salon

New York: Cuts14 Jay St., 212-966-2928
Regular price: $500InStyle deal: $400
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Stylist Rheanne White, who has brandished her blades around some very hip heads (Girls’ Lena Dunham and her erstwhile onscreen boyfriend, Adam Driver, to name two), now works out of this spacious, clutter-free former art gallery. Once the pro got her hands on our tester’s “hopelessly overgrown” layers, she started slowly snipping damp strands and "moving them around to make sure each fell perfectly.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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7. Rheanne White Salon

New York: Color14 Jay St., 212-966-2928
Regular price: $150 and upInStyle deal: $120 and up
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The only establishment to make a repeat appearance on this year’s list, Rheanne White Salon also boasts Sarah Spratt, a colorist so skilled she rescued our tester from brassy, calico kitten–style streaks in less than three hours. Spratt laid off the lightener, transforming much of the base into a rich honey brown, then warmed up the blond pieces so they appeared golden, not ashy. “She was so sweet and easy to talk to,” says our tester, who took a selfie with the colorist before she left. “My hair just looked like a million bucks.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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8. Phyto Universe

New York: Facials715 Lexington Ave., 212-308-0270
Regular price: $200 for 55 minutesInStyle deal: $160
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Our tester tried the Magnificence Signature Age Defense Facial at this fragrant Midtown space, breathing her way through some 10 minutes of thorough extractions before blissing out under layers of peptide-rich firming serums and hydrating creams. “They made my face so dewy, it was amazing,” she says. Weeks later, the reporter continued to rave: “My skin still looks clear and more youthful than usual.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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9. Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa

New York: Massages540 Park Ave., 212-888-8988
Regular price: $200 for 60 minutesInStyle deal: $160
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Multitasking Manhattanites find solace after long days with a Power Massage at this luxe sanctuary, which combines a spa, salon, and gym. Select your pressure and favorite essential oil (our tester’s answers: “medium” and “mint” to uplift), then enjoy expert kneading, as well as yogalike techniques. One mindblowing move? The pro held our tester’s ankle, lifted up her leg, and then flexed her foot back for a slow, deep stretch. Ahh.Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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10. Savor Spa

New York: Facials327 W. 11th St., 212-304-2887
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
This quaint space in the West Village offers a surprisingly wide menu of spa services featuring organic products from their own Om Aroma skincare line. Our tester’s pick: a Vitamin C Glow treatment, which included a fruit enzyme mask, a calming lavender facial mist, and a pumpkin hydrating serum, all of which left our reporter glowing for days.

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11. Jin Soon Hand & Foot Spa

New York: Nails421 E. 73rd St., 212-249-9144
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Should you be lucky enough to get buffed by in-demand manicurist Jin Soon Choi, the soft-spoken pro will shape and file tips to elongate your fingers and show you a handful of hot hues—from olive green to milky white—to flatter your skin tone. (Even a nude, she says, will look wrong without the right undertones.) Our tester loved the gently exfoliating milk foot soak during the Breath of Milk and Honey pedi: “My feet felt so smooth afterward!” To top off the bright coral polish, Choi cheerfully adorned both big toes with periwinkle flowers.

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12. Fix Beauty Bar

New York: Makeup847 Lexington Ave., 212-744-0800
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Around a central white table, our tester received a pedicure, blowout, and makeup application simultaneously (how fun is that?). Though each part of it was “stellar,” a big draw is talented makeup artist Aina Lee, who prepped skin with luminizing Eve Pearl Priming moisturizer ($28; evepearl.com). Lee’s insider trick: combining navy, hunter, and burgundy shadows on lids for a multidimensional shimmery finish.

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13. Marie Robinson Salon

New York: Haircut155 Fifth Ave., Fourth Floor, 212-358-7780
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Our reporter swears there must be Harry Potter–like powers shooting from stylist Chantell Carrtherol’s wand—er, scissors. She magically reshapes strands without taking away much length, and she creates body in even the finest hair. Props for her attention to detail: She asked our reporter whether she liked wearing her hair up (yes), then trimmed delicate layers around the temples to frame her face.

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14. Red Door Spa

New York: Color663 Fifth Ave., 212-546-0200
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Want a change but need a little help? One of the big draws at the elegant Manhattan flagship of the Red Door Spa is creative color director William Jean Simon, who will help you flip through his own celebrity book for inspiration. Once he gets to work, thanks to Simon’s balayage freehand, our tester left with gleaming hints of honey that looked even more natural four weeks later.

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15. Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa

New York: MassageThe Plaza Hotel, 1 W. 58th St., 212-265-3182
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
What’s the secret to smooth, sexy skin? You’ll find it here. With the new 80-minute Divine body treatment (done at N.Y.C.’s famed Plaza Hotel), you get a total skin exfoliation plus a sublime massage. After a shower, you relax while pros work Caudalie’s ultra-hydrating Divine oil over every tight joint and limb.

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16. Great Jones Spa

New York: Facials29 Great Jones St., 212-505-3185
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The luxurious, two-hour Dr. Hauschka Classic facial, is a head-to-toe treat. It starts with a sage foot soak, followed by an application of hydrating oils over arms and legs. Then an aesthetician puts calming lavender-infused compresses over the face before performing pretty painless extractions. Next up, two face masks. Hours later, our tester fielded more than a few compliments on her skin, which glowed without any blush.

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17. Shibui Spa at The Greenwich Hotel

New York: Facials377 Greenwich St., 646-203-0045
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
For the pampering 90-minute Diamond facial, aestheticians rub in circulation-boosting carbonated crystal powder, which draws oxygen up to the surface, to leave it looking temporarily flushed (in a good way!). Then layers of hydrating Natura Bisse creams and masks with marine extracts are gently pressed into the face via shiatsu and pressure-point massage. After almost two hours, our reporter’s complexion was soft, rosy, and totally refreshed.

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18. Cornelia Spa at The Surrey

New York: Waxing20 E. 76th St., 2nd Floor, 646-358-3600
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The pros at this luxurious spa ,located inside a swanky Upper East Side hotel, use a soft, violet-hued wax, called Lycon, which hardens on skin and grips even the tiniest hairs. Our reporter was shocked at how one strip of wax removed all underarm stubble—with hardly any pain and zero redness.

20. Benefit Boutique Upper East Side

New York: Brows1301 Third Ave., 212-288-4728
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Need killer brows...now? The new Upper East Side retro-girlie Benefit boutique caters to walk-ins. Pros speedily wax and neatly trim hairs, and can even enhance arches with a sweep of the brand’s highlighter pencil. Our tester was looking gorgeous in under 20 minutes. Got time for more primping? Stay for a spray tan or makeup application!

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21. Essie Flagship at Samuel Shriqui Salon

New York: Nails35 E. 65th St., 212-472-6805
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Finally, we can bow our hands and worship in the place of Essie, the spot to go for an incredibly long-lasting polish job. The secret? Technicians first brush base over just the tips of nails, then go over the surfaces entirely with another layer; after two sheets of color and a top coat, the results are bulletproof. Our tester had a perfect sky-blue mani for 13 days!

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22. Butterfly Studio Salon

New York: Haircuts149 5th Ave. 2nd Floor 212-253-2100
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
This Flatiron salon is gracefully presided over by cut-and-blowout maven Kattia Solano, who obsesses over your texture’s styling possibilities. For our tester, this meant coaxing her fine and straight hair into a wave with nary a hot tool. The right cut was key, and Solano delivered it by snipping into first wet then dry hair, then focused on texturizing ends. The grand finale? Solano, the salon owner, and her assistant showed our tester how to twist-and-clip up partially damp hair to create a headful of loose waves.

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23. Miss Jessie's Curl Bar

New York: Haircuts441 Broadway, Suite 2, 212-966-5600
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
At this Soho salon devoted to sprucing up spirals, every cut comes with an education. As in, “don’t get a texturizing cut with a razor if you want to minimize volume!” as lead stylist Rejane De Castro Moura told our tester. Instead, she snipped slightly blunt layers into our tester’s medium-fine hair, then floated more advice during the styling session: “No scrunching while diffusing!” (Why? It makes finer curls fall flat.)

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24. Aqua Salon & Spa

Shelton, Conn.: NailsOne Corporate Dr. 203-929-2782
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
You’re here for one reason: to see master manicurist Michelle Davignon, who has worked with Cameron Diaz. Our testermwas excited to try the LCN Black Diamond manicure, which involves bonding several transparent coats to strengthen the nails, creating a solid plastic surface that can be painted over with polish or gel. The beauty of this awesome treatment? You can remove the polish and reapply another shade without disturbing the sturdy artificial base below. It can last over two weeks and grows out with your own nails.

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25. Vu Hair New York

New York: Haircuts700 Fifth Ave., 21st Floor, 212-903-3081
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
This clutter free space (magazines are stored in iPads) resides in the swank Peninsula New York hotel, and features just five styling stations. Here our tester experienced the subtle, transformative snips of former Frederic Fekkai protege Vu Nguyen. He brought bounce back to her damaged strands by adding tiers two inches above the ends and crafted fringe to frame the cheekbones. Then he blow-dried and pin-curled for loads of volume. Our tester marveled at “how much body he coaxed from my fine hair—it looked 10 times thicker!”

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26. Euphoria Spa

New York: Massage18 Harrison St., Second Floor, 212-925-5925
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
One of the signature treatments at this intimate, understated spa is the Chardonnay massage: Pros work antioxidant-rich grapeseed oil into the skin using long strokes—and that may be combined with lingering pressure on lymph nodes in the neck and limbs to help flush out toxins trapped deep inside the muscles. “It not only relieved tension from my temples to my feet,” said our tester, “it left my skin ridiculously soft.”

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27. Patrick Melville Pipino Salon

New York: Color3 Centre Market Place, 212-775-7223
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
This small Nolita salon exudes an upbeat charm. Every bit as cheerful is vet colorist Rick Wellman, who tackled our tester’s problem (platinum streaks that clashed with her dark brown base) with enthusiasm. His solution? Add warm highlights to brighten hair overall using his signature balayage technique. (Since they don’t produce as much heat as foils, there’s less chance of overprocessing, says Wellman.) The multi-tonal result earned our tester a compliment seconds after leaving the salon.

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28. Oscar Blandi Salon

New York: Color545 Madison Ave., 212-421-9800
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
At this bustling upper-floor salon overlooking Madison Avenue, colorist Kyle White can deliver what our tester called “blessedly low maintenance highlights” with the precise use of foils. Two months after her visit, she pulled back her brown hair and saw that the subtle honey and blond streaks still blended, with no visible lines of demarcation.

Michael Weber

29. Yelo Spa

New York: Massage5 E. 57th St., 12th Floor, 212-245-8235
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Ever been to a napping retreat? A snooze after a rubdown is just one of the slightly unusual (and wonderful!) things offered by this midtown refuge that caters to stressed-out Manhattanites. After a massage in a private room, our tester reported that everything from her lavender-scented Essence of Vali oil to her neck-and-head emphasizing massage (and subsequent nap) exceeded expectations. “I’ve never had a spa treatment so tailored to my personal needs,” she said.

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30. Joanna Vargas Salon

New York: Facials501 Fifth Ave. 212-949-2350
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Our veteran tester realized early on that “this wasn’t going to be one of those relaxing facials where you can zone out in near darkness.” Nope. Vargas offers serious reshaping facials in her brightly lit offices including high-tech gadgets, like a microcurrent device, which emits electric pulses to rev up circulation and flush away fluids for an immediately firmer look. After one side of the face is done, “one cheekbone appeared to be sitting higher—the other cheek looked bloated and undefined,” said our reporter. A stream of oxygen all over the face delivered a refreshing finish to the experience.

31. Atelier ND

Northville, Mich.: Cuts170 E. Main St., dimachki@me.com (email only for appointments)
Regular price: $80–$100InStyle deal: $64–$80
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book Pick
Owner and stylist Nina Dimachki’s very private salon consists of just two chairs for hair services, along with a working photo studio. With no other staffer in sight, Dimachki greeted our tester and set about gaining some intel, asking her what she likes and hates about her hair. Armed with scissors, Dimachki snipped off dry ends, also doing away with superfluous layers; then, using a razor, she reshaped the overgrown bangs so they blended seamlessly. “Dimachki’s a total pro who made me love my hair again,” says our tester.Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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32. The Spa at The Breakers

Palm Beach: Massage1 South County Rd., 561-653-6656
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
In a walled-off area overlooking the surf, our visitor felt the warm breeze blow and saw the sun set and moon rise as a therapist rubbed pressure points with Pure Fiji coconut oil. Heads up: The coveted 7 p.m. service is offered only on two or three evenings each month to coincide with the full moon.

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33. Zoey Van Jones Brow Studio

Pasadena, Calif.: Brows45 E. Union St., 626-683-3308
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Former MAC makeup artist Zoey Van Jones opened her studio to showcase her skill at crafting big, thick—yet clearly defined—brows. Our tester needed that expertise: Her brows were wispy, thin, and hopelessly overplucked. To fake fuller eye frames, Jones used a stencil to fill in her brows, then waxed around the colored areas. She plucked strays and set the look with a few strokes of clear gel.

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34. Spa at L’Auberge

Sedona, Ariz.: Massages301 L’Auberge Lane, 928-204-4321
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The L’Auberge Stretch massage and creekside experience includes an unforgettable commune with nature. Inside a partially enclosed canopy overlooking a freshwater stream, pro Caleb Davison revives tired muscles by using his own weight as a counterbalance to help lengthen and stretch limbs. After gently warming muscles, Davison transitions into Swedish and deep tissue techniques, which left our tester feeling “lithe and invigorated.”

Up Next:

The Peninsula Spa

New York: Massages700 Fifth Ave., 212-903-3910
Regular price: $225 for 60 minutesInStyle deal: $180
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
During the Bamboo Harmonizer Massage, therapists gently flick bamboo sticks over sore bodies. Sound painful? “It was the most blissful thing I’ve ever experienced,” says our tester. The signature Espa TriSerum, infused with omega oils, “left my skin soft and supple.” She did have one complaint, however: “I almost fell asleep on the table— that’s how damn good it felt.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.
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